MUWomen FACup Winners | MUMen worst season ever! - United Hour Podcast

[Rood]

This week Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.

Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.

Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season? if not longer... Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?




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[Chumpsbechumps]

Didn’t realise part of the poll was for the podcast. Understand now why they didn’t want to add my “not sure” option to ETH

For all the talk of the manager, it’s remarkable how much focus is on him when this is a unique season for the club with a new structure from next summer. Does that mean ETH can’t he sacked now ? No, but it explains why there maybe more reasons why it’s not as obvious a call as many are protesting.

Still can’t get over “yeh injuries but” comments. If we get these sort of injury’s next season we ain’t finishing much higher as we don’t have a war chest to add to this squad. Hope fans console themselves with us just losing 1-0 so fans can say “at least we aren’t conceding 20 shots”.

I do agree that ETH could of done better and has made weird decisions but I’m not sure we are talking about being better off then maybe 5th if ETH had been more pragmatic.

I also think having a new keeper blood into the team/league with such a rotating back line has been underestimated. We’ve seen good keepers with settled United teams struggle really bad. That’s not even going into one unproven striker club with 3 players unproven in EPL under 22 needing to start every game.

Do you think a SAF team , at a club built for him, with a settled squad , settled manager , settled owner , settled results consistently, is the same as an injury crisis at current United dysfunction that’s been there for a decade ?

Standards have been set since Woodward took over the reigns and only with SJR trying to undo all the damage done, whether ETH goes or not , it’s not been a normal 2 years for him that’s comparable with anybody really.

Transfers are the clubs responsibility, not the manager. Tell me what manager left us with better players who did well after they left?

Some people talk as though our transfer policy pre ETH was good. It was sh*t. Hard to judge the injured ones. Martinez , Onana and hoijland will be in next managers team. Mount will still be able to offer something. That’s half his most expensive signings that are a better hit rate then any other manager since Ferguson really. And Ericson and Evans haven’t been bad squad options for free.

Id be surprised if ETH was manager in the summer regardless of FA cup final. INEOs have surely already decided. Only way he is kept is if INEOs think this season is not mostly ETH fault and he will work well with whatever it is they are gonna be doing. I don’t see a Tuchel appointment makes any sense if we have a 3 year plan to get to top by 2028.

 

[Rood]

Didn’t realise part of the poll was for the podcast. Understand now why they didn’t want to add my “not sure” option to ETH

For all the talk of the manager, it’s remarkable how much focus is on him when this is a unique season for the club with a new structure from next summer. Does that mean ETH can’t he sacked now ? No, but it explains why there maybe more reasons why it’s not as obvious a call as many are protesting.

Still can’t get over “yeh injuries but” comments. If we get these sort of injury’s next season we ain’t finishing much higher as we don’t have a war chest to add to this squad. Hope fans console themselves with us just losing 1-0 so fans can say “at least we aren’t conceding 20 shots”.

I do agree that ETH could of done better and has made weird decisions but I’m not sure we are talking about being better off then maybe 5th if ETH had been more pragmatic.

I also think having a new keeper blood into the team/league with such a rotating back line has been underestimated. We’ve seen good keepers with settled United teams struggle really bad. That’s not even going into one unproven striker club with 3 players unproven in EPL under 22 needing to start every game.

Do you think a SAF team , at a club built for him, with a settled squad , settled manager , settled owner , settled results consistently, is the same as an injury crisis at current United dysfunction that’s been there for a decade ?

Standards have been set since Woodward took over the reigns and only with SJR trying to undo all the damage done, whether ETH goes or not , it’s not been a normal 2 years for him that’s comparable with anybody really.

Transfers are the clubs responsibility, not the manager. Tell me what manager left us with better players who did well after they left?

Some people talk as though our transfer policy pre ETH was good. It was sh*t. Hard to judge the injured ones. Martinez , Onana and hoijland will be in next managers team. Mount will still be able to offer something. That’s half his most expensive signings that are a better hit rate then any other manager since Ferguson really. And Ericson and Evans haven’t been bad squad options for free.

Id be surprised if ETH was manager in the summer regardless of FA cup final. INEOs have surely already decided. Only way he is kept is if INEOs think this season is not mostly ETH fault and he will work well with whatever it is they are gonna be doing. I don’t see a Tuchel appointment makes any sense if we have a 3 year plan to get to top by 2028.

If there was a fence sitting 'Not Sure' option on the Ten Hag poll, Id go for that - it would be totally understandable based on this season if he got the sack, but I'm not against giving him another season for all the reasons outlined on the podcast.

I agree that his signings are not as bad as some make out - only Antony is a certain dud at the moment and even he was yet another overpayment for a last minute panic buy at the end of the window. Hopefully we wont see anything like that this summer.

Im not so sure that the decision has been made either, I think INEOS are giving ETH a chance to work with Wilcox etc and see if they are on the same wavelength.

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

If there was a fence sitting 'Not Sure' option on the Ten Hag poll, Id go for that - it would be totally understandable based on this season if he got the sack, but I'm not against giving him another season for all the reasons outlined on the podcast.

I agree that his signings are not as bad as some make out - only Antony is a certain dud at the moment and even he was yet another overpayment for a last minute panic buy at the end of the window. Hopefully we wont see anything like that this summer.

Im not so sure that the decision has been made either, I think INEOS are giving ETH a chance to work with Wilcox etc and see if they are on the same wavelength.

If you think about it, I don’t expect INEOs to get everything correct. It’s gonna take time and mistakes will be made , squad management, manager etc, these aren’t gonna be perfect straight away.

The 2028 target that SJR has quoted is why I’m not sure what they will do with managerial position. In many ways, having a manager who is up for a proper rebuild (as opposed to instant success ones) may make ETH a logical one to continue with.

It would make sense to me that “qualifying for top 4” is not a priority (while it would be welcome) maybe for the next year or so and that manoeuvring things whereby squad and manager positions are flexible and easier to adapt to changing situations.

Id also expect no major “players at peak” signings this summer. Maybe the odd 30+ (cheapish) experience as we will be prob losing a fair few this summer. It’s actually a good time for the club to sign 20/21 y/o quality that looks good and wants first team football.

 

[ifightdragons]

Let's not pretend the women's team have had a good season, either. That FA Cup masks what has been a been a relatively poor season for them.

 

[Yorkeontop]

@Rood I can totally relate to the fatigue of firing a manager every couple of seasons. I also suspect that it will be very hard for any manager to secure this job in 2 seasons. One other reason I want to give EtH a third season is because I want to split the difference between this season and the previous one, who is he really?

Edit: Oh yeah, EtH and his lack of tactically flexibility, I fear this will ultimately be his downfall.

 

[Yorkeontop]

@Annihilate Now! Who's your choice to replace EtH?

And do you remember when Arteta was under the cosh?

https://fansided.com/2021/08/24/arsenal-rumors-mikel-arteta-fired/

https://www.justarsenal.com/why-i-dont-want-arsenal-to-sack-mikel-arteta/281513/amp

Another thing, you're the type who'd rather lose the final against City if it meant EtH got sacked? I think I remember you alluding to that.

 

[Rood]

If you think about it, I don’t expect INEOs to get everything correct. It’s gonna take time and mistakes will be made , squad management, manager etc, these aren’t gonna be perfect straight away.

The 2028 target that SJR has quoted is why I’m not sure what they will do with managerial position. In many ways, having a manager who is up for a proper rebuild (as opposed to instant success ones) may make ETH a logical one to continue with.

It would make sense to me that “qualifying for top 4” is not a priority (while it would be welcome) maybe for the next year or so and that manoeuvring things whereby squad and manager positions are flexible and easier to adapt to changing situations.

Id also expect no major “players at peak” signings this summer. Maybe the odd 30+ (cheapish) experience as we will be prob losing a fair few this summer. It’s actually a good time for the club to sign 20/21 y/o quality that looks good and wants first team football.

Even with a long term approach, Im pretty sure getting back to the CL will be a priority for INEOS -especially due to the PSR issues. With a normal injury list it should be perfectly acheivable too.

The summer window is going to be the most interesting for years, hoping for a big change in approach.

 

[Rood]

Let's not pretend the women's team have had a good season, either. That FA Cup masks what has been a been a relatively poor season for them.

No one has said any different on this podcast, but it is a first ever trophy for MUWomen so it's more significant then if the Men did the same and will probably save Skinner's job.

 

[Rood]

@Rood I can totally relate to the fatigue of firing a manager every couple of seasons. I also suspect that it will be very hard for any manager to secure this job in 2 seasons. One other reason I want to give EtH a third season is because I want to split the difference between this season and the previous one, who is he really?

Edit: Oh yeah, EtH and his lack of tactically flexibility, I fear this will ultimately be his downfall.

With the mess this season, it's easy to forget how good last season was but yes his instistence on sticking to the same set up despite missing half his players is on him

 

[Annihilate Now!]

@Annihilate Now! Who's your choice to replace EtH?

And do you remember when Arteta was under the cosh?

https://fansided.com/2021/08/24/arsenal-rumors-mikel-arteta-fired/

https://www.justarsenal.com/why-i-dont-want-arsenal-to-sack-mikel-arteta/281513/amp

Another thing, you're the type who'd rather lose the final against City if it meant EtH got sacked? I think I remember you alluding to that.

Probably Tuchel but it really is slim pickings. I don't know nearly enough about Amorim.

And no way! Want us to win at all costs... Even if it means ETH sticks around next season, I still want us to win!

 

[Grande]

@Annihilate Now! Who's your choice to replace EtH?

And do you remember when Arteta was under the cosh?

https://fansided.com/2021/08/24/arsenal-rumors-mikel-arteta-fired/

https://www.justarsenal.com/why-i-dont-want-arsenal-to-sack-mikel-arteta/281513/amp

Another thing, you're the type who'd rather lose the final against City if it meant EtH got sacked? I think I remember you alluding to that.

Interesting articles. That second one from Just Arsenal, apart from the net spend, you could just copy/edit the names Wenger, Kroenke, Arteta with Ferguson, Glazers, Moyes/Van Gaal/Mourinho/Solskjær/Ten Hag, and it would read completely like matter of fact.

 

[Yorkeontop]

Interesting articles. That second one from Just Arsenal, apart from the net spend, you could just copy/edit the names Wenger, Kroenke, Arteta with Ferguson, Glazers, Moyes/Van Gaal/Mourinho/Solskjær/Ten Hag, and it would read completely like matter of fact.

I remember being smug and feeling very comfortable with the fact that he was their coach because they wouldn't amount to much.

 

[Grande]

I remember being smug and feeling very comfortable with the fact that he was their coach because they wouldn't amount to much.

I even remember articles and posts about hiring him was incredibly smart, because it caught onto how brilliant Man Utd’s hiring of a former player was turning out to be (no irony).

And, of course, the ridicule of Arsenal when they were stuck in 5th place with LEGOSolskjær, while we had just aquired Europe’s hottest head coach Erik Ten Hag.

 

[RobertoBaggio99]

I’m ten Hag out. Also I’m anyone who’s ten Hag in out. Look at us finishing 8th with a negative GD. Performance-wise we should be 12th. xPts 42. You don’t finish 8th, you don’t concede more goals than you score, and you sure as F*** shouldn’t be factually right to claim we’re actually lucky to be this high. Are we West Ham? No structure, no midfield, no progress, no vision, just embarassment to the point our actual rivals like Arsenal and Liverpool pitty us. Shambolic CL performance, you don’t finish last in a group with Galatasaray and f*ing Copenhagen.
No good candidate argument? BS. Put a monkey in charge of this squad and we might replicate this season. This statement is not a joke, imagine it, realize it.

 

[Rood]

I’m ten Hag out. Also I’m anyone who’s ten Hag in out. Look at us finishing 8th with a negative GD. Performance-wise we should be 12th. xPts 42. You don’t finish 8th, you don’t concede more goals than you score, and you sure as F*** shouldn’t be factually right to claim we’re actually lucky to be this high. Are we West Ham? No structure, no midfield, no progress, no vision, just embarassment to the point our actual rivals like Arsenal and Liverpool pitty us. Shambolic CL performance, you don’t finish last in a group with Galatasaray and f*ing Copenhagen.
No good candidate argument? BS. Put a monkey in charge of this squad and we might replicate this season. This statement is not a joke, imagine it, realize it.

Poor Baggio - still not over that penalty miss!